Andrej (Frusic) of Banja Luka

This article or section is a stub (i.e., in need of additional material). You can help OrthodoxWiki by expanding it.

His Grace Andrej (Frušić) of Banja Luka (Serbian: епископ др Андреј Фрушић) was the Serbian Orthodox bishop of Banja Luka from 1961 to 1980, and later of Srem from 1980 to 1987.

He was born on July 5, 1916, in Divoš in Srem, and named Janko (Јанко). He graduated from high school in Novi Sad in 1935, and the Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade in 1939.

On July 11/24, 1940, he was tonsured. The next day he was ordained a deacon, and on March 3/16, 1941, a priest. In 1952, he obtained his doctorate in theology in Belgrade. He was the last theology student who received his doctorate from Belgrade University until 2004, as the Orthodox Theological Faculty was removed from the university from 1952 and was restored only in 2004. He was professor at the Orthodox Theological Faculty from 1952 to 1961. He was elected Vicar Bishop of Budimlje in 1959 and was consecrated by Patriarch German and two other bishops on June 15/28 (St. Vitus' Day). He was elected Bishop of Banja Luka in 1961. Together with the people and priests, he built a new Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in 1972. At his own request he was transferred to the Diocese of Srem in 1980. He died in Sremska Mitrovica in 1987.